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Twenty-Four Seconds From Now
Book Review
My favourite was Aria, the main character's girlfriend. She's the perfect mix of the best aspects of a person, with flaws that are seen accurately real
As an overview I’m not gonna lie and say this was overly great, but I’m not gonna lie and say it was bad either, cos it wasn’t. It just didn’t really meet my expectations. I was kinda disappointed to be honest, BUT there were some aspects when I thought, ‘oh, I really like that’.
Moving into the positives: The Characters. Honestly, my favourite was Aria, the main character’s girlfriend. She’s the perfect mix of the best aspects of a person, with flaws that are seen accurately real. Like, she’s the eldest daughter, which is relatable for me. She feels a lot of pressure to be like the rest of her family, who are all musical stars, even her little sister.
And now, we have arrived at the part where I tell you what I didn’t like about this story. I feel like all the events that happen in the book are so… unrelated in a way. Usually, I love a romance book, especially a YA one, but I don’t know why, this one just didn’t do it for me.
Although, I did really enjoy the part where Neon, the main character, does something really sweet for his girlfriend, because in my experience, it’s hard to find teenage boys who will actually do something nice!
To sum this all up, I enjoyed a few aspects of this book, and would recommend it to people 14+ (sexual content and discussion).
If you enjoy a cute romance that has some maturity in it, then by all means, go read this book!
About the Book
This tender, sweet YA story by Jason Reynolds describes a first sexual encounter through the voice of a teenage boy. It explores how to respect women, how to be gentle, how to make it about love revealing a rarely portrayed sensitive side to an adolescent male.
Seventeen-year-old Neon is about to have sex with his girlfriend, Aria, for the first time. He’s hiding in the bathroom, nervous, wanting to do everything right . . .
Rewind. To 24 minutes earlier where Neon rushes from work, taking the gift of fried chicken to Aria’s house.
Rewind again. To 24 hours earlier when Neon’s big sister has advice about sex which makes him think he probably shouldn’t be listening to his friends.
To 24 days earlier. To 24 weeks earlier. To 24 months earlier, when he and Aria first met.
Author
Jason Reynolds
Jason Reynolds (born December 6, 1983) is an American author celebrated for his novels and poetry for young adult and middle-grade readers, often exploring themes like identity, race, violence, and coming-of-age. His debut novel, When I Was the Greatest (2014), earned the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe Award for New Talent — and since then he’s published numerous acclaimed works including the Track series, Long Way Down, and All American Boys
Reviewer Profile
Reeya, 14
- Reviews: 3
- Likes: Taylor Swift, psychology and writing
- Dislikes: Maths and Zara Dearborn (character from The Shadowhunter)
- Favourite Book: A Thousand Broken Pieces by Tillie Cole
- Favourite Film: City of Bones
- Favourite Song: This is Me Trying by Taylor Swift
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